The present invention relates to the field of lights, and more particularly, to ornamental lights and methods of forming same.
Consumers who purchase ornamental lights often encounter the problem of lights that do not illuminate brilliantly. Furthermore, current ornamental rope light systems do not provide a proper combination of flexibility and rigidity needed for customers to configure rope type lights in any arrangement with ease and little effort. Current ornamental rope light systems tend to tangle easily when positioned in a configuration suitable for storage. Current rope light applications are also costly to manufacture due to the complexity with which they are manufactured.
Manufacturers of ornamental rope type lights have been able to provide flexible lights, but only in very limited scope. Examples include traditional Christmas rope lights used to decorate and illuminate various objects. These types of lights tend to easily tangle when placed in a rolled configuration suitable for storage. Another disadvantage associated with this typical type of rope light is that the lighting tends to be dull because the only source of light is emitted at each individual light.
With the foregoing in mind, the present invention advantageously provides an elongate rope light which can easily be placed in a rolled configuration for storage without tangling. The present invention also advantageously provides brilliant, crystal like illumination of lights throughout the entire length of a rope light. The present invention still also advantageously provides a rope light that is easy for customers to handle. Additionally, the present invention also provides a rope light that is very inexpensive to manufacture. Furthermore, the present invention provides methods for forming and using a rope light that advantageously provide enhanced illumination and easy handling capabilities.
More particularly, the present invention provides an elongate rope light having a plurality of exposed elongate main body conductors. The plurality of main body conductors each have first and second ends and are positioned to extend substantially parallel for substantially the entire length of the rope light. The rope light further includes at least one exposed elongate light string conductor connected to at least one of the main body conductors and positioned to extend substantially the entire length of the rope light. The light string conductor is positioned substantially parallel to the plurality of main body conductors. The rope light still further preferably includes a plurality of spaced-apart lights connected to and positioned along the exposed elongate light string conductor to extend outwardly therefrom. The rope light additionally includes a substantially solid and translucent, flexible sheath having a continuous annular shape. The sheath is positioned to encase each of the plurality of exposed main body conductors, the at least one exposed light string conductor, and the plurality of lights along substantially the entire length of the rope light, so that conducting outer surfaces of the plurality of exposed main body conductors, conducting outer surfaces of the at least one exposed light string conductor and the plurality of lights are readily visible to a user through the sheath and so that light illumination through the sheath is enhanced.
The present invention also provides a method of forming an elongate rope light. The method includes the step of attaching a first end of at least one exposed elongate main body conductor to a first end of at least one exposed elongate light string conductor. The method also includes the step of positioning the at least one exposed elongate main body conductor and the at least one exposed light string conductor to extend substantially parallel the entire length of the rope light. The method still further includes the step of attaching at least one light to the at least one exposed elongate light string conductor. The method additionally includes the step of enclosing the at least one exposed elongate main body conductor, the at least one exposed elongate light string conductor and the at least one light in a substantially solid, translucent, flexible sheath so that conductive outer surfaces of the at least one exposed elongate main body conductor, conductive outer surfaces of the at least one exposed elongate light string conductor, and the at least one light are readily visible to a user through the sheath and so that light illumination through the sheath is enhanced.
Brilliant and crystal like illumination of rope light systems is very important to consumers and therefore, the present invention advantageously provides a rope light and methods of forming and using the same with enhanced illumination throughout the entire length of the rope light. The present invention also advantageously saves time and effort for consumers by providing a rope light system that will not tangle.